


my belly is a well wherein serpents are coiled

by sevendeadlyfun



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-16 14:38:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3492059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevendeadlyfun/pseuds/sevendeadlyfun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>And he knows, finally knows, her power when the blood flows. She traces lines on her face in sacrificial blood and meets his gaze. He is afraid, of her and of the blood, and his eyes go small with the fear. The heat of it covers her body and her heart soars.<i> Lagertha's thoughts on King Ecbert during S3 E3 <i>Warrior's Fate</i></i></i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	my belly is a well wherein serpents are coiled

**Author's Note:**

> A sort-of continuation of my story [and I will make no peace today](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3459845). Title taken from the poem [Ishtar Awakens in Chicago](http://theblogar.blogspot.de/2012/12/you-should-be-so-lucky.html) by **Mohja Kahf**. Crossposted to [my tumblr](http://sevendeadlyfun.tumblr.com/).

Bïrger, from his perch in the tree, is the first to spot them. It is impossible to miss such a large band even without the flapping cloths they carry around. When he tells her, she looks around with a disappointed sigh. It is a fine day for work. The fields now finally dry enough to plow and her people anxious to prepare for the long winter that must surely come.

 Instead she returns to her home and retrieves the necklace from the wooden box near her bed.

She does not wear it here. Working in the fields is dirty and not the time or place for such ornaments. Still she knows if the thing is not sparkling around her neck, the King will notice. More, he will comment. Better he sees is and thinks her enamored of his gift.

When she greets him in his own thick tongue, he rejoices as if she were a pet of his who has learned a clever trick. She smiles without baring her teeth. Let him think her simple. It suits her well enough to be underestimated – this time.

Ragnar used to poke at her about her fierceness. _Why_ , he would say, _must everyone know what you can do? Better that they don’t. Better they think you a fool._

It burned her, in those days, to be thought a fool. There was fire in her blood, boiling her from the inside out. Ragnar was always different– cool to the touch, cool inside. He never burned. He froze and trapped his enemies in the ice of his anger.

He brings more gifts, the Wessex King. Useful gifts, this time, instead of pointless glister that will not feed her people or warm them in the winter. She touches the necklace as he stares at her.

When he invites her to visit him again, she only nods. He thinks to buy her, piece by piece. She thinks she will let him. Nothing he can touch is important and those pieces of herself she values are too deep for him to reach.

He shows her his treasures. He pretends to know her, to know her gods. He believes, because he can touch the long-dead gods in his treasure room, that he can touch her gods; that he can own them; that he can own her. She whittles away at him, giving him a bit of truth while swimming in his lies.

He will learn, soon enough, she thinks. He will learn the power of the gods.

He does learn. When the sacrifice starts, she sees him do as Athelstan had done in the beginning. His hands slash up and down as he makes the sign of his god. She knows that he is calling for the protection of his Christ. But Frey is strong in their circle. She is strong.

And he knows, finally knows, her power when the blood flows. She traces lines on her face in sacrificial blood and meets his gaze. He is afraid, of her and of the blood, and his eyes go small with the fear. The heat of it covers her body and her heart soars.

Now you know, she thinks as she walks towards the fields, that my gods live. Now you know.

We are strong.


End file.
